Depraved Noble: Forced To Live The Debaucherous Life Of An Evil Noble!

The morning in the village was radiant, the kind of day where the air was crisp but not cold, and the sunlight spilled across the rooftops like golden silk. The sky was clear, a pure shade of blue, and the mulberry tree outside Nala's family tavern swayed gently in the breeze, its leaves rustling faintly.

Beneath that tree stood Nala herself, hands nervously twisting the hem of her white sweater, her cheeks faintly pink from both makeup and anticipation.

Today was the day.

She had never been on a date before. For years, she'd watched from the sidelines as other girls went out with young men, laughing as they strolled through the village streets, whispering to each other in the corners of the tavern, sharing secrets, and sometimes even kisses.

She would see them and wonder, what are they talking about? What are they feeling in those moments? She had always thought it would remain something distant, something she might never experience.

But now, she was about to go out on her first ever date, with Cassius.

That thought alone was enough to make her heart pound like a drum.

Cassius was unlike anyone she had ever met. He was bold, worldly, and, if the whispers were true, someone who had experience far beyond what she could imagine. He was someone who apparently had an entire harem back home and the difference between them made her anxious.

What if she said something wrong? What if she bored him? What if he compared her to other women he'd been with and found her lacking?

So she had prepared.

She had rehearsed topics to talk about, mapped out places in the village to take him so the date wouldn't feel awkward. She had even asked her grandmother, to help her apply a little makeup and arrange her hair.

Wanda, who had seen it all and knew exactly what was going on, had chuckled softly while pinning a ribbon in Nala's hair. "So my granddaughter finally has her first date." She had said warmly. "You'll be fine. Just be yourself."

Now, under the mulberry tree, Nala shifted nervously. Her dress was cleaner and prettier than usual, her hair brushed and glossy, her lips tinted just faintly with rose. Every villager that passed seemed to notice.

"Ohhh, Nala, aren't you looking pretty today?" One of the older women called out, grinning knowingly.

A older man snickered. "She's all dolled up, must be going on a date!"

Another villager added, "Usually you look like such a tomboy, but today? You look like a bride waiting for her groom. Looks like our Nala's finally going to get herself a husband!"

Nala's blue face went red. "H-how do you all even know about this?!" She cried out in protest, her hands flapping in panic. "This isn't public information!"

The villagers only laughed. "It's a small village." one of them shrugged. "News travels faster than a summer breeze. Everyone knows you're going out with that young man today. Good luck, Nala!"

She covered her burning cheeks with her hands, wishing the ground would swallow her whole.

Still flustered, she fiddled with the ribbon in her hair and thought, 'Maybe I should take out a mirror. What if something's smudged? What if I look silly?'

She was just about to reach into her pouch when a familiar voice rang out from the distance.

"Good morning, Nala! Sorry to make you wait!"

Nala froze. Slowly, she lifted her gaze, and her breath caught in her throat.

Cassius was walking toward her, and he was dressed...differently.

Gone was the travel-worn robe he usually wore, the loose, rugged clothes that made him look more like a mercenary than anything else.

Today, he wore neat, well-fitted garments, simple but elegant, the kind of clothes that could belong to a nobleman who had just stepped out of a city mansion. His hair was combed back, his stride confident, and the easy smile on his face made him look dazzlingly handsome.

Nala almost drooled. Yesterday, he had looked wild, almost dangerous. But today...today he looked like a man out of a storybook.

She stared. And stared. And kept staring, her lips parted slightly, her heart hammering against her ribs. She didn't even realize that Cassius had walked all the way up to her until his shadow fell across her face.

"Hello, Nala." Cassius said, his tone warm and teasing. "Are you alright? You've been staring at me without blinking. If something's wrong, just tell me."

She jolted, eyes wide. "Ah, n-no, it's nothing!" She stammered, shaking her head furiously. "I was just...thinking about something else for a moment."

She swallowed, her cheeks pinker than ever as she said, "G-Good morning to you too, Cassius!"

"And you really don't need to apologize for being late." Nala added quickly, desperate to cover her embarrassment. "You only just arrived, and I barely noticed at all. It was only a couple of minutes."

But Cassius shook his head, his expression turning faintly sheepish.

"No, I still need to apologize. On a date, it's supposed to be the man who arrives first. But here I am, the one coming second." He gave her a small, embarrassed smile before giving the reason saying, "I had to settle a little fight with Aisha and Skadi this morning. Took longer than I thought."

"A fight? Are you alright? Was it serious?" Her brows furrowed immediately, concern flickering in her eyes.

But he waved a hand casually, brushing it off. "Nothing worth worrying about. It's all dealt with."

She relaxed, letting out a soft sigh of relief. "I'm glad. That's good."

After a pause, her curiosity peeked through again.

"And...what about Lady Julie and the others? Did they sleep well?" She fiddled nervously with her sleeve. "I felt bad about not being able to give them a better room last night. The tavern was already booked out, so they didn't get the best spot. I worried it wouldn't be comfortable…"

Cassius gave her a reassuring smile. "Don't worry about it. The room was fine. The bed was soft, everything was clean, it was good enough."

Her shoulders sagged in relief, her lips curling into a little smile. "That's good. That's really good."

Then her eyes brightened mischievously, and she leaned closer, lowering her voice as if she were sharing a secret.

"So then I can say it, right? That the great Holy Guard stayed in my tavern, and they had not just a good night's sleep, but the best night's sleep of their lives?"

Cassius looked at her for a long moment, his lips twitching before he chuckled. "Sure, sure. Say whatever you want."

"Hehehe...then I'll make sure everyone knows." Nala's face lit up, joy sparkling in her eyes as if she had just been given the world.

Cassius's chuckle was still lingering on his lips when he noticed the way Nala's gaze shifted. She wasn't just smiling, her eyes were roaming over him, up and down, taking in every inch of his new clothes and how he carried himself.

When her eyes finally met his again, she looked away quickly, cheeks flushed pink, before blurting out shyly,

"You...You really look good today, Cassius."

"Honestly, for a moment I yesterday was doubting it...whether you really were the son of some noble family, especially from the richest one on the whole continent. But now..." Her voice lowered, almost like a confession. "...now that I see you like this, in proper clothes, you don't even look like a noble. You look like...royalty."

Her lips curved in a bashful smile. "And...you're really handsome."

Cassius blinked, caught off guard. For once, the usually smug, confident man scratched the back of his head, looking away as a faint grin tugged at his mouth.

"Well, uh...thanks for that." He muttered, almost sheepish. Then, as if realizing he was slipping, his smirk returned and he looked back at her with a playful gleam.

"Though, if we're being honest here, I think I messed up. I was supposed to be the one complimenting you first, telling you how pretty you look. And here you are, beating me to it. Sigh...I'm really screwing this first date up, aren't I?"

Nala shook her head quickly, waving her hands.

"No, no, not at all!" She protested. "Don't say that! It's my fault, I couldn't hold it in. I just said what was on my mind. You shouldn't blame yourself for that."

Her eyes softened, and then she tilted her head, lips curving into a small, hopeful smile.

"But...you can still tell me how I look, you know. There's no rule that says you can't just because I spoke first."

Cassius leaned back slightly, eyeing her with mock suspicion. "Ohhh, I see. You're eager, aren't you? The look in your eyes gives it away. You really want to know what I think of you."

Her face flared red, and she sputtered.

"W-Well, of course I do! This is my first date! I want it to go perfectly. I...I worked hard, Cassius. I put on my best dress, I asked Grandma to help with makeup, and I even styled my hair properly for once. Usually I'd just throw something on and run out the door. But today…" She took a nervous breath, standing a little straighter. "...today I wanted to look...special. For you. So yes, I want some praise. Is that so strange?"

Cassius arched an eyebrow, lips twitching.

"Alright then. But tell me, Nala, what if I said you don't look that good? What if I said you could make some improvements? How would you feel?"

Her eyes went wide, her tail puffing up indignantly as she leaned closer, pointing at him.

"Don't you dare say something like that, Cassius! Even if it's a lie, you'd better tell me I look good right now. If you actually said I looked bad…" She huffed, cheeks puffed out. "I'd sulk the whole day, and my mood would be ruined!"

Cassius couldn't help but laugh, shaking his head.

"Calm down, calm down. There's no way I'd say something so outrageous. If I tried, I'd probably get struck by lightning from the heavens for lying like that."

His voice softened as his eyes roamed over her, and this time, there was no teasing in his tone.

"You look beautiful, Nala. Yesterday, I thought I'd already seen you at your prettiest, but now? Now you've gone and raised the bar again."

He leaned a little closer, his gaze dropping briefly to her tail, glowing faintly in the sunlight.

"And that tail of yours...last night in the moonlight, it was mesmerizing. But now, in the sun? It's shining even brighter. Like you're carrying a treasure behind you. You're utterly gorgeous right now."

Nala's entire face went warm, her chest rising and falling quickly as his words sank in. Then, almost without realizing it, she puffed her chest out proudly, hands on her hips.

"Well...it's only natural, isn't it? I did put on my best clothes today! And Grandma went all out as well. Even though I usually don't bother with that kind of thing…" She glanced at him slyly. "So you'd better be grateful."

Cassius raised his hands dramatically, bowing his head. "I am. I truly am. Thank you, great Nala, for letting me witness such an amazing sight."

She laughed, though her blush only deepened, and tilted her chin up proudly. "Heheh. As long as you know."

Cassius watched her, his grin softening into something warmer. 'Gods, she's cute.' He thought, his chest tightening at how earnest she was, how she tried to show off for him.

Finally, he shook his head with a chuckle.

"You know, we could just stand here all day, you showing off and me telling you how pretty you are. Honestly, I wouldn't complain. With a girl like you, I could talk all day and never get bored." He winked. "But I think we're supposed to be seeing the town like proper daters, aren't we? Should we get going?"

He turned, ready to start walking.

But before he could take a step, a small hand grabbed his shoulder.

"Wait." Nala said firmly. "We're not going to walk side by side."

"Not walking side by side?" Cassius paused, brows furrowing. "What do you mean, then? What other way is there?"

Nala smirked, her eyes gleaming mischievously as she pointed behind her at her tail, which swished slowly like a beckoning hand.

"You're not walking today, Cassius. You're riding." She tapped her tail proudly. "Get on. You're going to ride on my tail instead."

Cassius's eyes nearly popped out. "...W-What?"

Nala giggled, her cheeks pink but her eyes sparkling with mischief, clearly enjoying his stunned reaction.

"You heard me. Get on, Cassius...My tail is your carriage for the date."